Operating attachment for folding fans



Feb. 20, 1951 s. L. KEENE ET AL 2,542,199

OPERATING ATTACHMENT FOR FOLDING FANS Filed July 26, 1949 v kip S?" 42:

$a ifi s Q 7 g JNVENTORS SHEFFOQD L. Keene RKLHAQDT. PALMER El E: 5 BY MM,/3Wv-Wwa Patented Feb. 20, 1951 OPERATING ATTACHMENT FOR FOLDING FANS Sheflc'ord L. Keene and Richard T. Palmer, Hampton, Va.

Application July 26, 1949, Serial No. 106,812

Our invention relates to an operating attachment or handle for fans.

An important object of the invention is to provide an operating handle for folding type fans, which will oscillate the fan when squeezed by the hand and released, thus making it unnecessary for the user to swinghis arm.

A further object is to provide an operating attachment or handle for fans, which will also serve as a protective storage casing for the fan.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned class, which is highly simplified, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an operating handle embodying our invention and illustrating the use of the same holding and oscillating a fan,

Figure 2 is a side elevation viewed from the left side of Figure 1, parts broken away,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the attachment and showing the fan in the stored position.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral 6 designates a generally U-shaped handle or tongs, preferably formed of spring steel, or the like, so that the handle is resilient, and its opposed spaced arms or sides 1 will yieldingly resist when they are squeezed together with the hand.

Pivotally mounted upon the inner faces of the sides 1, near the free ends of such sides, and arranged in opposed spaced relation, as shown, are a pair of flat rectangular bearing plates 8, having aligned central apertures, pivotally receiving pins or rivets 9, secured to the sides 1. The plates 8 are thus turnable upon the sides 1, and are provided near their inner ends with laterally projecting beads or detents 10, for alternate engagement in mating inner and outer recesses II and I2, formed in the sides I.

Rigidly secured as by soldering to the inner face of the right hand plate 8, Figure 3, is a transverse cylindrical sleeve or tube l3, extending for substantially the full width of the adjacent side I. This sleeve l3 pivotally receives one side M of a rectangular wire loop or link [5, having 3 Claims. (Cl. 230--269) its opposite side I6 rotatably mounted within a similar transverse cylindrical sleeve H. The sleeve I1 is rigidly secured to the inner side of an upstanding brace loop I8, having opposed spaced 4 sides l9, which converge longitudinaly beyond the handle '6, as shown, to form a curved end 20. The brace loop I8 also includes a straight transverse inner end 2|, pivotally mounted within a cylindrical sleeve 22, rigidly secured to the left hand plate 8, Figure 3, opposite the sleeve [3. The brace loop I8 is straight, as viewed in Figure 1 and extends longitudinally beyond the free ends of sides I for a substantial distance.

The sleeve I! has its inner side rigidly secured, as by soldering, to a metal side or plate 23, of a conventional collapsible or foldable fan 25, having an opposite plate 25, connected with the plate 23 by a rivet or pin 26. The pin 26 pivotally supports the sections or arms of the fan, in the usual manner, as well known. The ends 20 of the brace loop I8 is in contact with one side of the fan 24 at all times, as shown. The sleeves l3, l1 and 22 have their axes parallel. The loop or link [5 surrounds the fan 24 as shown, but is long enough 25 so that the fan may readily open, Figure 2. The

brace loop [8 is narrower than the length of the loop [5, Figure 2, and the sleeves l3 and II are longer than the sleeve 22. The sides I9 are soldered, or otherwise rigidly secured to the sleeve I! near its opposite ends, as shown.

In use, the fan 24 may be readily stowed between the handle sides 1, Figure 4, or swung to the operative position, Figures 1 to 3; the detents Ill alternately engaging in the recesses ii and [2, to releasably hold the fan in either position selected. The brace loop l8 also enters between the sides I, when the fan is stowed. When the fan 24 is in the operative position, the sides of the resilient handle 6 are continuously squeezed together and released, and the fan will oscillate between its broken and solid line positions, Figure 1, the brace loop l8 remaining in contact with the fan 24 all the while. The operating mechanism is very simple and compact, and the usual waving or swinging of the arms to create a breeze is dispensed with.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention, herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of our invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. An operating attachment for a fan, comprising a resilient generally U-shaped handle having opposed sides to swing toward and away from each other when squeezed by the hand and released, a loop hingedly connected with one side of the handle near its free end and disposed between the sides of the handle, a brace loop hingedly connected with the other handle side opposite the first-named loop, the brace loop extending longitudinally forwardly of the handle'and being pivotally connected near its inner end to the first-named loop, and a fan secured to the brace loop and disposed adjacent to one side?" thereof and adapted to oscillate with the-brace loop when the handle is squeezed and released.

2. An operating attachment for a. fan, compris.;

ing a resilient generally U-shaped handle having opposed spaced sides adapted to swing toward each other and separate when-squeezed bythe hand and released, plates pivotally mounted upon the inner opposed faces of the sides near the free ends of the sides and adapted to be turned, transversesleeves secured to the inner sides of the plates and. disposed in opposed parallel relation, a relatively short loop having a side pivotally mounted within one of said sleeves and extendin'g' generally transversely between the sides ofv the handle, a relatively long brace loop having a side pivotally mounted within the other sleeve. and extending longitudinally beyond the free ends of the sides, a transverse sleeve secured to th e inher side of the brace loop near and spaced from its inner end and, disposed parallel to the first named sleeves, the relatively short loop havin its opposite side pivotally mounted within the lastnamed sleeve, and a fan secured to the inner side of the last-named sleeve and disposed within the relatively short loop and extending-longitudinally of the free ends of the sides, a side of the fan contacting the brace loop, the fan oscillating with the brace loop when the handle is squeezed and released, the fan and brace loop being swingable with the plates to stowed positions between the sides of the handle.

3. An operating attachment for a fan, comprising a resilient generally U-shaped handle having spaced I opposed sides swingablev together and apart whensqueezed byhand and released, transverse cylindrical sleeves secured to the inner faces of the sides near the free ends of the sides and disposed in opposed spaced relation, a short rectangular loop extendin transversely between the sides and having one side pivotally mounted in oneof said sleeves, a long brace loop extending longitudinallybeyond the free ends of the sides and having an inner side pivotally mounted within the opposite sleeve, an intermediate sleeve secured to the brace loop near and spaced outwardly of the inner side of the brace loop, the opposite side of the short rectangular loop being pivotally mounted within the intermediate loop, and a fan secured atone side and nearits inner end' to the intermediate sleeve and extending generally parallel to the brace loop, and contacting the brace loop", the fan oscillating with thebrace the handle is squeezed and released.

' SHEFF'ORD' L.

RICHARD T. PALMER,

REFERENCES CITED The following reierences are of record in the file of 'this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 ,5 2 umphre m May 1 19.26

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